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New South Pasadena Police Chief Joe Ortiz was sworn into office on Monday morning during a private ceremony inside the City Council chamber at City Hall.
Ortiz, with 25 years experience in law enforcement, comes to the city from Sierra Madre, where he served as police chief the past three years.
His first official day on the job was Monday, as he will oversee a department of 53, which includes 36 sworn officers and 17 non-sworn staff members.
Ortiz joined the Sierra Madre Police Department in 2010 as a patrol sergeant, became a captain of operations and support divisions in 2014 and chief in 2016.
He was a detective and corporal in the Glendora Police Department prior to his eight-year duty in Sierra Nevada.
Ortiz is a veteran of the Air Force and the Air National Guard.
Ortiz described his law enforcement approach as “contemporary, community-based policing.”
His leadership style, he said, is one of inclusion and relationship building with internal and external stakeholders to define and achieve common goals.
Brian Solinsky, who served as South Pasadena’s interim police chief since last August, will return to his role as captain for the department.
